The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-03
A sUPERCILIoUs OFFICIAL.
Adventures of n United States Senator In Try
ing Secure PASSPORT.

Adventures of n United States Senator In Try
ing Secure Passport
Washington Special,
The chief clerk of the State Department is one
of the most attentive, eentlemanly and efficient
officials in the public service, but the following
special of the Tribune correspondent shows what
is likely to happen when Mr.. Brown is absent
from his post. According TO this story, Sena-
tor who SAILED for Europe last week thought a
passport might be useful on the other side. He
called at the State Department morning,
shortly before leaving the city, and was informed
that be must apply TO the chief clerk for the
passport. 1t is possible that this aristocrarlc in
dIvidual would have known the Senator had he
been in his office. But he was out. and his more
aristocratic assistant who is conspicuous sue
cess as society young man, did not know his
visitor. With the merest glance and in tone
of lofty indifference, he said:
A passport Oh, you will have to go down to
the floor below where they made out"
The Senator turned quietly from the Young
would be diplomates presence. and by dint of in
Quiry found the passport-room. Another aristo-
cratic young man here met his request with:
Want passport, do you2 Well. what is your
businessr
By this time the Senator began to feel inter-
ested in this exhibition of red-tape haughtiness,
and he also aroused.
MY busipessl7 he replied. Really. can't
say that am engaged in business at this time"
Well what is your occupation, thenl What
do you do for a lyugF asked the young clerk,
IN a condescendlng tone, and scarcely looking up
from his newspaper.
My occupation, for the most part. is in Con-
gress j am Senator -"
'Oh, beg your pardon, Senator exclaimed
the suddenly surprised arbiter of passports,
sprnGing from his seat with n Jack in he box
bound, and bowling with a State Department
dignity. Certainly, Senator But not here
You want special from the chief clerk. The
special passports are made out up there. l am
exceedingly sorry, Senator but come this way,
Senator If you please" And tine now attentive,
not TO say obsequious young man. escorted the
Senator TO the door. bowling him out with many
apologies for the little mistake
The Senator. more amused than ever, made
his way back to the chief clerks room. where he
stated that he had been directed to return there
for his passport Again the aristocratic assist
ant repeated: ''You will have to go below for
your passport. We issue only specials here"
Il believe IL is a special passport that want"
said the Senator, modestly.
Specials are for officials replied the naughty
assistant, not deigning TO ask the of the
Senator or his business. the young man below
had done. Determined to see how long this per
formanee would go on. the Senator turned and
quietly left the chief clerk room. But it hap
pened that visitor just then remarked: That
is Senator -; he is going abroad"
The young man who assists the chief clerk to
give dignity to the State Department swung
open his little gate and ia less than no time was
out in the hall The Senator was overtaken be-
fore he reached the stairway. and. in breathless
embarrassment. the young man said; 'iAh, SEN
Rtor go, thousand pardons! l did not recog-